


savioress

by sweetsindle



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Aster is from the canon Kuro manga, Aster was a real person, Comfort, Confusion, Cultural Differences, Culture Shock, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Bonding, Family Fluff, Foster Care, Gen, Implied/Referenced Torture, Multi, Parenthood, Past Abuse, Past Lives, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Sexual Assault, Platonic Cuddling, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, The Kuro fandom is the same and now he has to deal with it, Therapy, Time Travel, and the fact that his old life is on full display, foster to adopt, he somehow transports from the most recent chapter to our world, he's now in foster care and newly put into the Reader's care, the manga is based off of real events
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-10
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:07:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23084488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetsindle/pseuds/sweetsindle
Summary: ᴛʜᴇ ʏᴇᴀʀ ɪꜱ 2020, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ'ꜱ ᴀ ɴᴇᴡ ʙᴏʏ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴠɪʀɢɪɴɪᴀ ꜰᴏꜱᴛᴇʀ ᴄᴀʀᴇ ꜱʏꜱᴛᴇᴍ...ᴀ ʙᴏʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀꜱ ꜱᴇᴇᴍɪɴɢʟʏ ᴀᴘᴘᴇᴀʀᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰɪʟᴇꜱ ᴏɴᴇ ᴅᴀʏ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴀʙꜱᴏʟᴜᴛᴇʟʏ ɴᴏᴡʜᴇʀᴇ, ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱʏꜱᴛᴇᴍ'ꜱ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴜᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴄᴏɴꜰᴜꜱɪᴏɴ.ɴᴏ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ...ᴛʜᴇʏ'ʟʟ ꜰɪɢᴜʀᴇ ɪᴛ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴇᴠᴇɴᴛᴜᴀʟʟʏ. ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ᴀʟʟ, ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴄʜɪʟᴅ ɴᴇᴇᴅꜱ ᴀ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ʜᴏᴍᴇ! - ʙᴜᴛ ᴀᴛ ᴛᴡᴏ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏʀɴɪɴɢ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴏꜱᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴜꜱᴜᴀʟ ʜᴏᴍᴇꜱ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ꜰɪʟʟᴇᴅ, ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴘᴜᴛ ʜɪᴍ?ᴡᴇʟʟ, ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɴᴇᴡ ʜᴏᴍᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ᴀꜱꜱɪɢɴᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ ᴛᴏ ꜰᴏꜱᴛᴇʀ...All current (and future) art done by one of my best friends, lenee!Her Tumblr: https://lovecoreciel.tumblr.com/Her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/h0neymilkteaa/Kuro tumblr blog: https://sweetfacedspare.tumblr.com/
Relationships: OC & Ciel Phantomhive, OC/Ciel Phantomhive
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	1. new arrival

**Author's Note:**

> A special thanks to all the wonderful people that assisted in the creation of this! /@s coming soon sjkdhjsdhs/
> 
> Also!! I hope your all in for a ride. I fully plan to have this have at least 90+ chapters!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited 6/9/20 to add this chapter's artwork!
> 
> Edited on 6/29/20 with grammar corrections!

"Where did you say... What's his name again?"

"His file says Aster Phantomhive, aged....12- no wait, I misread that. _13!"_

Molly Knight, one of the System's directors asked, her eyes wide in apparent confusion as she stared at the man before her, papers in hand. "Excuse me? Aster Phantomhive? Oz, we don't have an 'Aster Phantomhive'...In all my years of working here, never in my days have I heard of an 'Aster,' let alone the last name 'Phantomhive'?"

"Hey, I don't know either!" Oz, known professionally as Oswald Emily, said defensively as he awkwardly held his hands up, the folder containing the information of the new, unexplained child, clutched tightly. "I just found out about this like what, less than an hour ago? His file just sorta…appeared in my filing cabinet…Before I knew it, Janey called me - the kid is in one of the rooms with some of the other kids, dazed and confused. Clutching a blue backpack, and wearin' dark blue overalls n' a long-sleeved-shirt. Tiny. Short. Big blue eye - one of em' covered wiv' a patch. Don't look older than ten, even though he's actually 13'" the man said, his Brooklyn accent as clear as day.

"Dazed and confused? Was he seen by Marion afterward?"

"Yea. I made sure he was. Said he was doin' fine, he's just tired, and a bit confused," Oz said, taking a seat near the older woman and opening the manilla folder to the first page. 

Pulling the open folder towards herself, Molly got her first good look at the new child's file. Just as Oz had said, that was the actual kid's name! _'Phantomhive? So he wasn't kidding!_ ' She thought, cocking her head to the side.

**Name:** _Aster Orion Phantomhive_

 **Age:** _13 years old_

 **Date of Birth:** _December 14th, 2008_

 **Birthplace:** _Virginia Hospital Center, Arlington, Virginia_

 **Medical Concerns:** _Asthma. Prone to getting ill quite often._

"Huh...it says he was born near here...Do you have a birth certificate? It's not in here."

"Ah! Yeah, sorry, I had that out-" Oz apologized with an awkward laugh, rushing back to his desk, and scooping it up, handing it to Molly. "It's...I don't know. I've been lookin' through everything, and it just doesn't add up. Everyone I talked to seriously has never seen em' before. No one has ever seen em' came in, and no one dropped him off! He doesn't even know how he came here!"

"Are you serious? He just...are you saying he just showed up? No one was with him?"

"Yeah, 'parently! No one knows where he came, and right now, he's just a ball of confusion. Better let him lay down for a bit before we ask em' anything...that, and get em' somethin' to eat. I dunno when he last ate something, and I don't think we should wait."

"Agreed," Molly nodded softly. "But we shouldn't wait...we should ask him questions and then send him to a right home as soon as we're able. After all, it's very, very late, and he needs to rest. I'm sure he's had a rough day, with the state he was found in and all..."

"Want me to go down to Marion, and have a talk? You gotta lotta' work to do...that, and you's gotta call someone so he can have a good home. Too bad, the Stephens just got filled up. I'm sure they would' been good for em.'"

"Wait, they got filled? Already?"

"Yeah! Don't you's remember? Trisha Gomez and her little sisters, Rosalie and Sophia, got sent there this morning! I thought you knew?"

"Oh, snap! No, I didn't. I'm sorry, Oz! I guess everything's just been so busy!" Molly groaned, rubbing her temples, getting up from her swivel seat, and starting to pace, as she tried to think of someone. "Kids are going left and right, and all that...and then with all the people dropping out! It's been crazy!"

As Molly talked, Oz got from his seat and walked to the door, texting Marion, their city system's in-house nurse.

**Oz (Today at 1:35 AM):** _Hey, Mari. Coming over as soon as I can to talk with you and Aster. How's he doing?_

 **Mari (Today at 1:36 AM):** _Alright, that sounds good. Aster's been laying down for a bit and drinking some water. Before he was complaining about a headache, and this seems to be helping. I started to talk to him. He's really, really confused._

 **Oz (Today at 1:36 AM):** _What do you mean?_

 **Mari (Today at 1:36 AM):** _He says he's scared. He doesn't remember how he got here._

 **Oz: (Today at 1:36 AM):** _What???_

 **Mari (Today at 1:37 AM):** _Please come down when you can. It'll be easier to explain in person - that, and he's feeling a bit better. Hopefully, he'll be fine. I'm worried._

 **Oz (Today at 1:37 AM):** _I'll try to come down ASAP. Mol's got me here. A lot of the houses are booked, and she's kinda freaking out. I'm hoping that soon it'll be all good._

"Molly?"

"Huh?"

"Do you mind if I go down to Mari? Aster's feelin' better, and she's hopeful that we can answer some questions if ya don't mind." 

"Sure. I need some time to call some people and hopefully talk to a worker that can find someone that's actually in state and available. There's no way in hell I'm letting this poor kid sleep on a couch tonight, here!" Molly told Oz, her brown eyes filled with complete and utter determination, sitting back down and waking her computer back up from its accidental sleep. 

"That sounds good. What time would you like me to be back?"

"Uh...thirty minutes. And can you bring Aster with you? It'd be a great help."

"'Course! I'll see ya then, ok?"

Oz waved to Molly, who then waved back before he opened the door and left the room. Closing the door, he headed down to where the nurse's office was - down two halls and a short flight of stairs. 

Knocking softly on the door, he waited for a second before Marion rushed to the door and calmly opened it, waving the man inside with a slight smile. 

"How's he doin', doc'?"

"Ah, stop that, Oz. I'm not a doctor...well, yet." Marion said, a quiet giggle escaping her cherry-red lips as the Brooklyn-born man walked inside.

A nervous smile on his face as he waved to the new kid - Aster - who was currently sitting upright on one of the infirmary beds, gently grasped the blue pack in his arms. 

He didn't know why, but every time he met a new kid, he always felt terrified that they wouldn't like him. Ever since he was a boy, there always seemed to be a new foster kid in the house. It was a joy, honestly. He loved the company, and he met so many good people that way.

Now, he worked with the Virginia Foster Care System, and he loved it, and he hoped to continue working there as long as he could.

"Hey, kid. How's it going. Marion here tells me that you don't remember comin' here. That you don't know where you are? Aster, right?" Oz asked, walking up to the blue-eyed child. He stood a little bit of a distance away, not wanting to get in the kid's personal space and making him feel uncomfortable.

The small teen, Aster, a bit dazed and (obviously) very nervous, looked up to the man, clutching his backpack in his arms even tighter than before. He stayed silent.

"Are you alright? Anything on your mind? We can talk about it if you want. With Mari and me or just Mari...or even just me. Whatever makes you feel best, alright?" Oz offered a gentle smile on his face. "It may be scary now, but I promise, we'll try to figure everything out, ok? Your safe."

The child looked away for a second as if gathering his thoughts. He didn't reply for a bit, staying silent for a while until he finally looked back up. He seemed very uncertain but almost willing, in a way. He nodded softly.

"Is it ok?"

The boy set his pack to the side and nervously tugged at the cuff of his long-sleeved sweater. "I suppose so..."


	2. late night talks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The new, mystery boy, Aster, is feeling a bit better and is finally ready to shed some light on his, well...mysterious appearance. The problem is, he's as clueless as the System is...if not a million times more.
> 
> Aster is hesitant on having new parents, a new life - but he's convinced otherwise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thanks to my two good friends, lenee and paradox! They really, truly helped with a bunch of plotting for several future chapters - as well as the addition of a new OC, Ella! - if you read any of my other fics, you'd know that she's lenee's, and I think she's a perfect fit for this!
> 
> PARADOX: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apatheticAbsorption/pseuds/apatheticAbsorption
> 
> LENEE: https://lovecoreciel.tumblr.com/

"So! Kiddo, was' the last thing you's rememba'?"

"I...er..."

"He asked what's the last thing you remember, dear," Marion clarified with a gentle sigh, taking a seat at her desk. "Before you came here? You just...you told me you don't remember ever even coming here. You don't even know how you got here?"

The child before them nodded, shaking like a leaf in a storm, in complete and utter terror. He suppressed the urge to reach over and wrap his arms around his pack...was it his? Where did it even come from? He'd never seen one like this before - practically using it as a shield from the strange new people before him. 

Never in the boy's life, besides the events that he had vaguely labeled in his head as 'That Day,' and 'That Month' had he ever been so lost—scared, terrified...confused. 

Where was he?

How had he gotten here?

Was this his butler's doing? No, it couldn't be! He was his meal! He'd never, ever be sent away! One of the reapers, maybe? The one with the silver hair and scars - The Undertaker, did he do this? No, he couldn't have been able. If he could, then he would have saved his family in a heartbeat from the intruders...

If this wasn't their doing, who on earth's was it?

Who would want to do this to him? Who did he know that he had angered enough to cast him away, to somewhere so far? 

He didn't understand. 

He didn't _want_ to understand.

All the boy, thirteen-year-old, Funtom CEO, Earl Aster Orion Phantomhive, wanted at that very moment was to magically appear back in his English home, surrounded by all that was normal...rather than this. 

He wanted his old clothes - a suit and heels, not...not whatever the hell he had somehow ended up in?! A pair of light blue workman's overalls...but somehow a bit...gosh, how did he even describe them?! Nicer? A white, blue striped, long-sleeved shirt with puffed-up sleeves, short white socks that ended just above his ankles, and shoes that he had never seen before. They were black with white tips, and a blue star in a white circle under his ankle. 

God, he felt like a freak.

Was this some kind of a bloody joke?! Who dressed like this? How did he even have on these clothes? Last time he checked, he was donning a navy blue suit, long, black socks, and a pair of black heels with a light blue ribbon wrapped around them, held together by a silver buckle! 

Not to mention his rings - where on EARTH where his rings?! When he felt his earrings - why did they feel so strange?! They didn't feel like they did at all only a few hours ago! What was the material they were made out of?!

Never, ever, in his short life had he EVER been so EMBARRASSED. What was he to this tomfoolery that brought him here? A clown?! 

He looked around, drinking in sight before him as he impulsively grabbed one of his sleeves and twisted it, trying his best to keep himself from having a nervous breakdown. 

Why was everything here so strange? Would he ever truly understand why?

What was that strange box with the moving pictures and words? What was that skinnier box with a view on it? What was that weird, spinny thing in the corner? Why was everything so bloody cold?!

For God's love, why did every female he saw today look like a wench, or was wearing men's clothes? Could they not find skirts? 

What world was he living in? It wasn't his!

"I...I remember going to my room... I was going to lie down to take a nap because I hadn't been feeling well. I told my butler before I went, and I was off. I don't know if I even made it to my room...?" He said, speaking up for the first time, letting his /very obvious/ British accent be known to the two strange people in the room, clearly surprising them quite a bit.

"Ya voice...You's don't sound like anyone 'round here!"

"Butler...?"

Aster smiled awkwardly and shrugged softly, looking down to his lap. "I...I suppose I rather don't, no...Ah yes, my butler. I doubt you've seen him. He has black hair and red eyes. Quite the bother, too. God, he's going to fuming when he finds me!"

"I...Red eyes? He's going to be fuming when he finds you?" Marion asked, her thin, black eyebrow-raising in concern. "Dear, whatever do you _mean?"_

"I...my butler? His name is Sebastian..."

"Can ya tell us 'bout em?"

"Uh..."

Marion got up from her seat, wine-red heels clicking softly across the checkered floor as she walked over to the young teen. She got down on a knee and held Aster's hand, squeezing it comfortingly as she looked up to him. "Aster. Whatever we ask you is to help you. Whatever you choose to tell us, we promise that nothing will be used against you. This is all for your benefit."

"My benefit?"

"Whateva' ya tell us will be used ta' help us help you. If you don't tell us nothin', or if ya lie, not only will ya not be helpin' yourself, but also us too." Oz said, sighing softly. "I dunno how much ya know, considerin' how's we found ya, but do ya know what we do here? What is our purpose? Why's we talkin' ta' you's bout this all?"

Aster looked down, finding that same, gut-wrenching feeling return to his stomach. He swallowed and shook his head. "No..."

"Nothin'?"

"I...I apologize. I really, really don't. All I remember is what I told you! That's all I know! Everything else...it's a bloody mystery. _And I hate it."_ He stated, frustrated tears welling up in his eyes. "I just want to stop being so confused! I-I want to know why I'm here! I've never been here before- what's going to happen to me?!" 

Oz got up from where he was, and laid a gentle, friendly, warm hand on Aster's shoulder, as a sign that everything would be ok. "Kid...I know everything's probably real scary right now. But I promise that once everything is sorted out, it'll all be fine. What we does here is we find kiddos like ya' selves that need a home and get you one. From what you told Marion, you don't got no folks left?"

"No..." Aster whispered, tears leaking from his visible eye. "They're gone. All gone. Everyone..."

"Oh, honey..." Marion whispered, finding herself tearing up as well, and getting up, pulling the boy into a hug. "I'm so, so sorry. Everything will be alright. We'll find you, someone, to be your parent. They'll most likely be temporary, though. Hopefully, someday soon down the line, you'll find your forever Mama and Papa. Or just Mama...or Papa...or two of both! You never know!"

"You find children...parents? How do you do that? Why is...Blast, this is so confusing!"

Marion pulled away and nodded, retreating to her seat just as Oz got up and leaned against the wall, hands in his pockets.

"We have a list of people that would like to watch children until we find them their forever family. Sometimes, these wonderful people want to adopt as well! So, there's a bit of a chance that depending on who you go to, they might be the people that adopt you!"

"I...really...? How do you know that?"

"Oh, they ask us! It takes quite a while, due to background checks, remaining family members, and all that, but in the end, it's worth it - I promise. You'll find someone - no, wait. Someone will find you, that will become your family. Are you alright with that? Do you mind if we find you a Mama or Papa, dear?"

Aster blinked, took the chance to straighten himself out, sat up, and drank up this information like a sponge.

A chance to have a new mother...? a new father...? Both, maybe? - What did the woman mean by two of both? - 

Were they joking? Was everything these two people telling him complete poppycock...or was it real? Were they indeed, honestly, telling the absolute truth? That he'd get a chance to, honestly, have a family again?

Would he get a chance to start over?

_'No, no...no...it can't be.'_ Aster thought, gently shaking his head as more ready-to-be-spilled tears welled up in his eyes. _'I need to obtain my revenge. I can't do this. I need to find Sebastian and get out of here. Even if these people are telling the truth, I can't NOT make my contract! I can't just complete it! It's my duty! I made a promise...'_ he took a deep breath, causing the tears to finally run down his cherub cheeks like a silvery, icy stream. "I can't. Besides, how do I know you're telling the truth? For all, I know you could be lying to me!"

"Why would we ever lie to you 'bout somethin' so serious?" Oz asked, looking to Aster in surprise at his reaction. "Kid, I know you're scared, and everything is weird and confusin', but I promise we're tellin' the truth! We's wanna help ya!"

"But why...? You don't even know me!" Aster protested, shakily wiping away his tears. "Besides I-"

"Oh, Hon...why wouldn't we? You deserve a home. You deserve a happy life. Please, please never say you don't. All children, no matter what, deserve this." Marion said firmly as she picked up a nearby clipboard and scribbled down a few things. 

"Not me..." He said, barely above a whisper as he shakily grabbed his backpack back, and hugged it tightly. 

"Don't say that, Aster. You's do! Trust me! We care about you so, so much. I know ya think we's just strangers, and we're just sayin' that to say it. But trust me, we do. I grew up in a home with lots n' lots of kids just like you! I can't tell you how many foster n' adopted siblings I have!" Oz said, taking his hands out his pockets, and making his way over to Aster, bending down to his level with a warm smile, before holding out his hand for the child to take. "I promise. You do."

He didn't know why, but he believed them.

At that moment...

_The small boy teared up once again and nodded softly as he daintly took ahold of Oz's hand, accepting._

Perhaps, just perhaps...this could lead to something good, for once in his short, miserable life. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited grammar errors on 6/29/20.
> 
> Edited on 7/12/20 to add this chapter's artwork!
> 
> Also fun fact, I completely forgot that it's like almost 3 AM in the fic. So if your confused, it's my fault for forgetting that, even though I've been reading this over and over again as I write chapter 5 😔


	3. 1889

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's not 1889, that's for sure. 
> 
> Aster finally meets Molly and his caseworker, Tessa Grace. At almost three in the morning at getting his first look at the 21st century in the dead of night with the promise that he's about to meet his new foster parent...things are just a little bit strange, to say the least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited grammar errors on 6/29/20.

"1889...? Honey, whatever do you mean by that?" Molly asked Aster, sitting one leg over the other in her black, swivel seat as she wrote down notes. "I can tell you for a fact that it's August 20th, 2020! I mean, just look at the calendar!" she said, pointing to the thing.

**_ August 20th, 2020. _ **

Aster stared at the blue, star-dotted calendar in horror, sinking into his seat, grasping his backpack even tighter than before - so hard that his knuckles turned a pasty white. He shook his head, his heart racing like that of a jockey in at one of those horse races. 

She was lying.

There was no way that any of this was real. It was 1889, honestly! He had remembered that morning when he was doing some paperwork, and he had asked Sebastian himself! He had been answered 'August 20th, 1889'!

It wasn't 2020.

There was no way in HELL; it was 2020! Already?! He should be long dead by now! 

He froze in horror, tears immediately welling up in his eyes as soon as he realized... _ ' If it truly is the year they say they it is...that means...everyone is gone. It's been what, 100? 114 years? Tanaka...Mey, Bard, Finny, Snake! Lizzy, Soma, Agni! Sieglinde! Wolfram! Auntie, Uncle, Edward! ...everyone. They're all gone...' _

** Gone. **

Every last one of them. 

"Lizzy...the servants... _ everyone _ ..." he whispered, unable to keep it in anymore. Aster held his pack close, and sobbed, powerless to stop himself for once. "I want them back..."

Molly gasped softly, her eyes widening as soon as she heard his sobs for the first time. Snapping her head up, she looked to the crying boy. Pushing her papers aside and got up out of her seat. "Aster, what's wrong...?" she asked, kneeling to her level, and placing a caring hand on his. 

"Lizzy..." He mumbled to no one in particular.  _ 'Everyone...I failed everyone...Ciel would be so disappointed in me...' _ Aster thought, his insides starting to feel like the ice-cold, orange gelatine that Sebastian made on the hottest of summer days.  _ 'They already lost Mama, and Papa...I've been a horrible, disgusting liar and pretended to be Ciel...they already thought they lost me, too...and just when I gave them Ciel back, he's gone forever, too...I am the most putrid, repulsive individual on earth! How could I do this?!'  _

"Lizzy? Aster, who is Lizzy...? Is she a friend of yours?"

_ 'How can I be so cruel? All I wanted was to make everyone happy. Now I've just hurt them again. No revenge, and no family...no friends - if I'm allowed to call them, friends. Are...no were. Were they even ever truly my friends? Or were they just Ciel's? Surely, if they knew the truth, they'd be angry. Hurt. All because of me. I won't deserve anything.' _ He thought, trembling with realization.  _ 'Why was I even born? All I do is hurt people. That's all I've ever done - hurt, hurt, hurt, and hurt some more!' _

"Are you listening to me? Aster?"

_ 'All I want...I just want to be home. I need to! I can't leave them alone. Lizzy doesn't deserve this! Bard, Mey, and the others don't deserve this! Sebastian is going to be horribly angry with me. When I was out of it back in Germany, he nearly bloody ate me! But if I don't come back...maybe he won't find me. Maybe I'll be safe? The others can be happy. I'll finally be out of their hair forever, and I won't be able to hurt them anymore...' _ Aster let out another pained sob, his head starting to pound.  _ 'I don't want to hurt anyone anymore.' _

Molly gently squeezed the child's hand, waiting for him to just get it all out.  _ 'Something heavy must be on his mind. This isn't good. I hope that Miss Beckett will be good for him. Seeing her files and checking out her home. She seems very promising. I hope all goes well. He deserves it too.'  _

After a while, Aster finally managed to pull himself together. Sobs went from raging, down to those weird little hiccups you get after you've cried for a while, and then, down to sniffles. 

He looked up to the older woman and apologized profusely, clearly very embarrassed as he desperately tried to wipe away the remaining tears on his face. "I'm sorry..." he managed to croak out, rubbing his wet hands on his pant legs. "I don't... Everything is just so confusing. I've been in very confusing and scary situations before, but never, ever like this. It's so frightening...For once, I don't have a clue what will happen, and I hate that."

Letting out a gentle sigh, Molly opened her arms and offered the young teen a hug. 

Aster hesitated for a while, clearly very, very unsure. He didn't like to be touched, not even in the slightest. But Everything hurt so much - Everything was so new! So...terrifying. 

He looked to her and, with a shy shrug, leaned into her, wrapped his skinny arms around her neck. Molly hugged him back, a calm, friendly smile on her face. 

They pulled away, and she offered him a hand to stand up, which he accepted, his pack now on one of his shoulders. "I know Everything is scary right now, and Everything is uncertain. But my dear...my dear. I promise that all will be well."

"How do you know that, Mrs. Knight?"

"Everything is uncertain, Aster. You never know what's going to happen. All you can do is hope! And with the lady, you're going to be with? I promise you, she's wonderful. I'm sure she'll love you, even if you don't think she will!" Molly told him with a smile as they started down the hall. "No matter how scary it seems now, I promise that it'll all make sense soon enough. You're not going to be alone."

"Miss White?"

"For the last time, Aster! You can call me Tessa! Whenever someone calls me that, I feel like a million years old!"

Aster looked down to his pack, laughing awkwardly as he looked around the strange, metal...thing? They were in. Never in his life has he ever been so...what was the word he was looking for? Terrified? 

When they had first gotten to the parking lot, he had no clue what he was expecting...but THIS?

T H I S ?

What was he even in? 

Tessa Grace had told him that is a car (obviously very confused as to why she even had to explain the concept in the first place) and that it would take them to his new foster mother's house. 

_ 'How does it move? There are no horses!' _ He had protested, awkwardly standing outside of the blonde-haired woman's car as she clicked a button on a weird device? She had and made it BLINK? 

The poor boy jumped back in horror upon the rear tail lights blinking an angry shade of red, as Tessa Grace opened a side door, and touched something that made the back...? OPEN? What kind of sorcery was this? How was that even possible?!

He watched in shock as she took off her purse, and put it there, before turning back to him.  _ 'Would you like me to take your backpack?' _ she asked, her Swiss accent clear as the night sky- the first time he ever noticed it.

Aster gaped at the trunk of her Toyota Corolla, grasping his pack tightly as he stared at it in confusion.  _ 'I...what is that?' _

_ 'What...? Dear, what on earth do you mean?' _

_ 'I'm sorry...' _ Aster apologized, blushing as he looked to black asphalt of the parking lot, clearly embarrassed.  _ 'Why must I be so clueless? This is everyday stuff for everyone here!' _

He looked over to the side, and his eye widened as he took in the scenery that seemed to just...fly past as Tessa drove. Never in his LIFE had he ever gone so fast - besides the Campania, Sebastian's back, and on his horse, Cinnamon - but those were all different!

They weren't machinery (the ship was, but that wasn't the same as this!). They were no way as far advanced as this - if he were to stay back in his time (God, it felt so weird for him to think that), then he'd never, ever get to see things like this!

As frightening as they were, they were truly fascinating! 

Aster hoped that in daylight, if he was permitted, to go out and look at some! He wanted to sketch a few out and look in them to see how they worked! 

The small boy looked at Everything around him - drinking it all up as he pulled his pack to him, and looked through it - surprised when he pulled out a sketchbook. He felt through it once again and pulled out. What was it, even?

Looking at it closer, it seemed - well, a texture that he had never felt before! Similar to his earrings! It didn't help that he could barely see!

"Tell me about yourself as I drive! It's going to be quite a bit, and this will be useful for your files. If you do, I'll tell you some stuff about me in return! It can be a mix of serious and fun questions. How does that sound? Only if you're up for it, though." Tessa Grace offered, peering to her side-view mirror, and stopping very briefly, before making a turn onto the next street. "Of course, if your too tired - let's face it! It's going to be four very soon, and I can imagine just how tired you are! That, or if your too uncomfortable to do it, that's alright too." 

"No, no...I'm fine. I'll answer a few, I suppose. As long as there not too personal."

"I get that!" She nodded, smiling softly at the boy through her rearview mirror. "How about a few fun ones to start it off? Your favorite color? Favorite food? It can be anything! Mine is pale yellow. I love pastels! And my favorite food is banana pudding - I like it for its color, and because well...bananas are delicious!" 

"Blue. And I like chocolate."

"You only just...' like' chocolate? Are you sure, Mister? Most kids I have usually say that, but what they mean is 'I LOVE chocolate!' They're just too uncomfortable to say it outright." 

"Alright, alright...I love it! Hehe..." Aster nodded, feeling himself ease up a bit. 

"Have you always liked it? Ever since I was little, chocolate has always been one of my top five snacks!"

"One of your 'top five snacks'? Is chocolate a snack for you? To my butler, it's a dessert. If I have any before dinner, I won't get anything else."

"Gosh? Like, if you just have a few squares?"

"Unfortunately, yes." 

Stopping at a stoplight, Tessa Grace pulled out her...what was it called again? Her phone? 

Aster cocked his head to the side, trying his best to get a better look at it as she tapped on it, and did all sorts of strange things on it. How was she doing that? How was she doing that? 

Why was Everything so strange?

This was going to take forever to figure Everything out, wasn't it...?

"Now, onto something a bit more serious. If you don't mind me asking. Who's your butler?"

"I...what do you mean?"

"Mrs. Knight said you kept talking about 'a butler' to Miss Leah and Mister Emily. He sounds almost unreal. Red eyes? Throwing silverware at people? All that?"

The child looked down to his lap, and trembled, shaking his head. "I don't want to talk about him...please..." he whispered, tears starting to prick his eyes. Aster twiddled his thumbs, feeling his stomach twist in nervousness.

Tessa Grace let out a gentle sigh and shook her head as she drove down the street, and onto another. "If you don't want to, then you don't have to. Just remember that the more you tell me, the more I can help you. And you know that's what I want to do, right, dear?" 

Aster nodded and gently wiped the tears away, just as they pulled into a neighborhood. 

"Alright! We're almost to your foster mother's house! Just five minutes away! I promise she's wonderful." Tessa Grace told him, glancing back at the boy using the rearview mirror. "Are you ready, dear?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me, updating a long fic twice in a row?? UNHEARD OF! 
> 
> Continuing for the rest of April, Savioress will be continuously updated! Expect (hopefully) chapters 4-7! - plus a couple of one-shots, for a few friends. 
> 
> Typically, I update in a cycle. but that's just been so, so draining and time-consuming for me, so I'll be taking a break from my other long fics until May. 
> 
> ENJOY!!! 💘💖💞


	4. early morning hours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Absolutely terrified of whatever was to come with the new experience with his foster parent, Aster is comforted by Tessa Grace.
> 
> Maybe this won't be so bad after all -

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Grammar errors edited on 6/29/20!

It felt like an eternity as he waited in the car for Tessa Grace to come back. 

Aster (very hesitantly) rested his elbow on the edge of the window, watching from her car as the tall blonde check her notes one last time before she climbed the steps to the house. 

What was this woman going to be like...?

Would she like him? Would they get along? He has so many questions! 

He took a deep breath as Tessa Grace knocked on the door and straightened her posture as she waited for his new foster mother to open the door and greet her. Aster hadn't even noticed it before, but now that he thought about it...he was absolutely rattled with fear. 

Never in his life had he ever had to go through something like this! How would he even cope when he was finally left alone with the woman who was supposed to be his 'mother' until he got moved, or (somehow) adopted?! 

He took multiple deep breathes, trying his best to calm his nerves. Aster twisted and pulled on his puffy sweater sleeve, shaking slightly as he started to hear voices. For as long as he could handle it, he looked to his lap and cowered, completely and utterly terrified for whatever would come next.

 _'What if she isn't as 'wonderful' as Mrs. Knight said she was? What if she tries to harm me?! I don't have Sebastian! What on earth do I do?!'_ The child thought, trembling at the mere thought of the possible abuse that could take place. _'I don't want to do this anymore. I can't do it! I just want to go home, back to everything!'_ Aster thought, his breathing became more profound and fast-paced. 

He shook his head and gulped, tightly clutching his pant legs. Every second that passed felt like an eternity. His head spun like a top on a game board that he had played with Soma only a few days prior. His body was hot like he was in the middle of a fire-lit room. His stomach was in a knot so big that he felt like that one time he had eaten all that chocolate Sebastian had told him not to! 

He couldn't do this.

He didn't _want_ a new mother!

He didn't _want_ a new life!

**HE JUST WANTED HOME.**

Aster had been so deep in his own worrying that he didn't even notice Tessa Grace come back to the car and open the door he was nearest to, letting all the cold air from the night come pouring in like a heavy mist. 

The amethyst-eyed, blonde-haired woman smiled warmly at the child and offered him a hand. "Come on, dear! It's time to meet your foster mother! She'll be out here in a moment. She just needed to straighten some stuff out for you."

He didn't reply, shaking like a little Begonia flower in the middle of a frightening storm. 

Tessa Grace soon realized this, bending down a bit to meet the child's gaze. Gaining a worried look, she placed a warm hand on his shoulder and gave him a gentle shake. "Aster? What's wrong?"

Aster gasped softly, his single, visible eye-widening in surprise. He looked to the woman and shook his head, his heart pounding like crazy. "I can't do this..." 

"What can't you do, dear?" Tessa Grace asked, clearly confused before she realized what he meant. "Oh my...you mean going through with this? But Aster, you haven't even met Miss Beckett yet! I know it's scary now, but I promise that once you meet her, you'll like her very much. But...I suppose if you truly are too uncomfortable, we can go make and see if Molly can go and find you another foster parent." she offered, hoping that this would, at the very least, ease his fears just a tiny bit. 

"I...I don't know..." The child whispered softly, very clearly on the verge of a breakdown as he very desperately tried to hold himself together.

With a gentle sigh, Tessa Grace nodded before asking Aster if she could sit with him. Aster moved a bit, allowing her to do so. 

She sat next to the boy and gave him a hug, which Aster (surprisingly) accepted almost instantly from the woman. "I know how you feel, dear. Right now, this is so, so hard. And your absolutely terrified. You don't know what's going to happen, and you're going to be staying with someone you've never met. You have every reason to think and feel all the things you do. I did, too, when I was in the same position at your age."

The child blinked in confusion, looking up to her. "What do you mean...?"

Taking in a deep breath, Tessa Grace gave him a shaky smile, before holding his hand and grasping it lightly. "When I was your age, I was in foster care, too. I had been for years. Ever since I was six years old, I had been in the system. And despite me being in it for so, so long...it never ever got easier. Every new home, every new family. They were all terrifying to me."

"You...you had...you were in this, too?"

She nodded. "I was. It was so, so scary. But then one day, a wonderful family I had been staying with for a few years called me down, and...they told me the best news of my life. At just a year older than yourself, 14, I was adopted. And to this day, those people have been the best people I've ever had in my life. I visit them every week, attend all the gatherings, come when my help is needed, and come when I need help - their my family, Aster. When I first came to them, never in my life did I think that I'd ever been comfortable around them, or even like them, but now...I can't even imagine a life without them."

As Aster listened to Tessa Grace's talk, somehow, he felt his nerves easing up. It wasn't a lot - no, not at all, but it was something! 

He was able to control his breathing a lot more than he was a few minutes ago, and the world had finally stopped spinning like a record. "Do you think that it'll...that I'll feel that one day, too?"

"I can't promise it, but I definitely hope so. You first have to be open to the idea of being with and getting to know your cost parent - but even before that, you must be open to at the very, very least - meeting her. You can't have a family if you don't even try to meet who wants to give you a home, Aster." 

He nodded gently, pushing a strand of his ashy-blue hair to the side before taking yet another deep breath, and picking his backpack up from the floor, holding it close. "I suppose so..."

"Are you ready to at least meet her?"

"I think so..." 

Tessa Grace smiled softly at Aster, before getting up and holding her hand out for him to take. He sighed, and with all the strength he could muster at the moment, he got out of the car and trailed after her to his foster parent's door.

They walked up the cinnamon brown steps that led up to the door, which was halfway open- well, the main doors (they're double doors). Another two doors, which was clear with a white ring around it was closed - which greatly confused Aster. 

Why were there two doors? Didn't the woman living here just need one?

A lot of things here were strange, that's for sure.

Tessa Grace knocked on the door, the same smile from before appearing on her peach-pink lips. "Uh...hello, Miss Beckett? I apologize for taking so long - Aster just needed some encouragement!"

Aster blushed madly and looked to his shoes, grasping the handle of his pack tightly. He couldn't stop thinking, thinking, thinking! What would she be like? Would she like him? How old was she? So many questions, so little time! 

Just as he almost thought she wouldn't answer the doors (despite it practically wide open, not counting the glass ones before it), footsteps from just around the corner of the inside patted the floor like the pitter-patter of raindrops -

\- and through the glass door, he got his first look at his foster mother.

The woman behind the glass door - who opened it a quick three seconds later, wasn't what he was expecting...not even in the slightest.

She had deep brown eyes and russet brown skin, thick, curly black hair, and glossy pink lips. The corners of her mouth her upward, as if she was about to smile.

She looked pretty young, somewhere between 26 and 28. Slender, too, and her skin was absolutely adorned with tattoos - she was wearing something he'd never see a woman before. Striped shorts, and a white top...but the top's arms were a different color? _'Midnight blue,'_ the child decided. _'Why is she dressed like that? It's not appropriate for a lady!'_

"Hey, hon!" The woman - no, Miss Beckett - giggled lightly, smiling warmly at the blue-haired teen. "I'm Daisy!" she greeted, waving excitedly. "I got a call like, what? Two hours ago? Maybe less? Over at the Arlington Foster Care System Center, Mrs. Knight told me that you needed a home. I hope we can get along - she said you were kind of out of it...I'm sorry..." 

Aster shyly looked back down to his shoes and played with the sleeves of his sweater. "I suppose so..." he looked back up to her. "Am I going to be safe here..? I'm terrified...I've never done this before. I've been really frightened before...but this is even newer..."

For a moment, the world seemed to stop.

He felt like he made a grave, grave mistake by admitting that to Miss Beckett. Oh God, what would he do now? He was so foolish! He knew how adults were! The very second you showed them any smidgeon of vulnerability, they'd attack you like hungry vultures!

Tears welled up in the child's eyes, and he looked away, awkwardly wiping them with his sleeve. 

Instead of making a nasty remark or scolding him - something that he genuinely thought she was going to do - she carefully hugged him and told him that it was going to be alright. 

"Your so brave for this, you know that, right? I know you don't know me at all- and you probably don't care what I have to say, but I'm so proud of you." Daisy said earnestly, a warm smile gracing her lips.

Aster didn't know why, but he found himself smiling. It wasn't big by any means, but it was there. "Th...ank you...It means a lot..." he admitted quietly, returning back to playing with the cuffs of his sweater, due to his nervousness - earning an even bigger smile from Daisy in return.

"Aster, can I talk to you for a second?" Tessa Grace asked, motioning for the child to come to her. She looked at Daisy and gave her a shrug. "I just need to ask him something, if that's alright!"

The teen turned to her, obviously very confused, but followed her anyway to the farther part of the patio. "Is everything all right...? Is something wrong?"

"No, no - everything's fine, dear. This is about you and how your feeling. Now, I know you just met Miss Beckett, but how do you feel?" 

"About her...?"

"Yes. And if you feel safe enough to stay here."

Aster looked back to the black-haired woman who stood at the doors, hands behind her back as she cheerfully bounced on her heels. Was he genuinely ready for this? Could he really take the leap of faith and do this...? 

_'If I refuse to go with Miss Beckett, then where else do I go...? If I'm put with someone else...how do I know they have good intentions...?'_ He thought, his heart starting to race. Just as he felt another wave of tears prick his eyes, he met Miss Beckett's kind, welcoming brown eyes. 

She smiled at him - almost like a child - in the sense of cheerfulness and openness it seemed to have. 

At that moment, he didn't know, or how he had yet convinced himself...had he ever done that? 

He smiled shyly back at her, before looking back up to Tessa Grace. "I...I think I'll be alright. She seems...nice, I think..."

"Really?" Tessa Grace asked, her amethyst eyes sparkling with satisfaction. "I'm so happy, Aster. I promise she'll be good for you, dear."

Tessa Grace walked the small teen back to Daisy, who needed to talk to her for a few minutes before she left. "Be good for Miss Beckett, alright, Aster?" she asked, giving him a slight smirk, as Aster nodded nervously in reply. 

"You can go inside, okay? The living room's direct to your right! You can set your stuff down and sit wherever - use the bathroom, whatever. Then we can talk after I'm done. Cool?" Daisy told him, grinning broadly as she motioned to the door. 

Unable to stop smiling, he nodded and walked in the door just as the two women started to talk amongst themselves.

Walking in the doors for the first time, he blinked as he realized just how bright it was in her home, compared to the darkness of the night. He looked around - the broad, long, wooden stairs that were /very/ prominent as you walked in, paintings covered the walls, as well as various craft projects, pretty, snow-white wallpaper with a delicate-looking design behind them. Looking to his left, there were three entryways into what was...the dining room? One big arch, and then two smaller ones right next to the middle with white trimming are surrounded by the same glossy white wallpaper. 

In the other room was a glass table and three chairs, all unmatching with a large cream rug covering almost the entire width of the floor. There was a huge blue and white Vase on the floor nearby, a large plant nearby, and several over paintings and other decorations on the walls - not to mention the strange, bluestone...? curtains? 

In the corner of the room were two large bookshelves, with warm brown chairs, and bright red pack sitting in the middle of both...and in the other corner, a white door leading...somewhere? 

Looking down the hallway, it wasn't that long - it seemed to be about three rooms in total, all with the same white doors, with a strange, long, blue, and purple rug on the wooden floor.

Finally, turning his attention to the right - where the living room was, he clutched his pack tightly and let out a tiny sigh - walking through the entryway that led into it. 

It had the same 'curtains' as the 'dining room,' with striped, cream, and white-colored stripes, the same big mass of paintings that swamped the walls. In the far corner, there was something that could maybe...resemble a piano, in a way? There were several more bookshelves, a few plants, an evergreen-colored fireplace with a...what in the world was that? It was big and black. It looked like the same box that he saw where he was before this...a 'TV.' That's what Oz had told him, right?

The furniture that surrounded the fireplace didn't match at all, and neither did any other furniture that with the chess table behind him - but strangely, it somehow didn't look bad at all? 

He sighed quietly and made his way to the black and mint green couch, carefully setting his pack down on the thing before taking another look around. _'Perhaps...just perhaps...I think...hopefully, I shall be alright...even as strange as everything is.'_

Aster took a deep breath. 

_'I'm ready._ ' 


End file.
